Adjustable starting block



p 1958 G. R. MCCAFFERTY ETAL 3,401,931

ADJUSTABLE STARTING BLOCK Filed Sept, 15, 1965 Fig.

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James 7. Under/rill Jr. George R- McCafferfy INVENTORS United StatesPatent 3,401,931 ADJUSTABLE STARTING BLOCK George R. McCafterty, 1057Seymore Place, and James T. Underhill, Jr., 25350 Cypress St., both ofHayward, Calif. 94544 Filed Sept. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 486,939 3 Claims.(Cl. 272-59) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A track runners starting blockusable indoors or outdoors. It comprises an elongated portable basechannelshaped and whose channel has open ends. A first panel has a lowerend hinged between forward ends of the side walls and is provided withan anti-skid pad. The upper end of this first panel is hinged to anupper end of a second like panel which tilts and props the first panelup. When not in use both panels fold down and can be compactly storedflatwise in the channel. The prop-forming panel is provided at a lowerfree end with outstanding keeper pins seatable and retained inselectively usable keeper notches provided therefor in the side walls.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements instarting blocks, which, like prior art adaptations, are advocated andadapted for use at the customary line of start of a track either indoorsor outdoors.

As is clear from the preceding general statement of the invention,starting blocks for foot racing tracks are old :and well known and whilesuch aids are many and varied in style and construction and while maytypical prior patents could be listed here as exemplary of the state ofthe art, Bresnahans starting block, Patent No. 2,144,962 is typical ofthe invention herein under consideration.

Keeping in mind that it is admittedly old to provide a portablestake-down type base or plate and to equip the same at the takeofi endwith a hingedly mounted projectable and retractible end thrust abutmentand to retain the latter in an angularly set position with theassistance of a prop, certain seemingly significant improvements areherein deemed to be advisable.

One improvement has to do with a more practical and reliable base unit.Briefly this unit comprises an elongated open-ended member which ischannel-shaped and which ensures the availability in the structure ofstrength and durability but which is nevertheless light in Weightcompared to prior art adaptations.

By using a channel the flanged or side walls can be aptly andsatisfactorily notched with the notches serving as keeper seats forselective reception and retention of detent means provided on the prop.It follows that with this construction and arrangement of features therequirement of adjustability is present and advantageous.

Then, too, as will be herein more fully appreciated the presentinvention has to do with a construction and arrangement which makesstorage of the block a major advantage due to the small stow-away areaneeded. The foldable and collapsible construction and arrangement ofparts provides the compactness and convenience required and evenfacilitates stacking or grouping of the device for practical handlingconvenience. As a matter of fact with the construction shown one canresort to the use of a beltlike strap which can be wrapped around theblock or blocks to promote efliciency in handling, saving of time andcomplying with the advantageous as pects which the wholesaler, retailerand user fully appreciates.

The invention also features a block construction wherein the inclinedend thrust plate is not only cushioned but can be quickly and easilyadjusted to comply with the reice quired stance of each individual user,whereby to thus promote comfort and dependable use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of an adjustable starting blockconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionand showing the component parts in the position and relation requiredfor foot race starting needs;

FIGURE 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view with parts appearingin elevation; and

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the plane of the vertical section line33- of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

The portable rigid base unit or means is denoted, generally speaking, bythe numeral 6. It comprises an elongated portable open-ended channel orchannel-shaped member made of lightweight but durable material capableof use either indoors or outdoors as the case may be. The Web or bottomwall is denoted at 8, the rear transverse end at 10 and the fronttransverse end at 12, here shown as provided with spaced upstandinghinging knuckles 14 with which coaoting and companion knuckles 16 arealigned fo-r coaction in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The knuckles 16 areprovided at the lower edge of a hinging and mounting leaf 18, theassembled knuckles being maintained in hinging relationship by a pintleor hinge pin 20. This hinge leaf is secured to the underneath side ofthe lower or forward portion of a generally rectangular panel 22, thefoot receptive side or face of the panel being provided with ananti-skid pad or cushion 24. The upper end of this panel is joined byassembling and hinging means 26 to an upper end 28 of a secondrectangular panel 30 which constitutes and provides an adjustable aswell as folding prop. More specifically, the hinge means 2.6 comprises afirst leaf 32 secured at 34- to the upper end 36 of the starting blockor panel 22. This hinge leaf is provided with knuckles 38 cooperablewith and hingedly joined to complement-a1 knuckles 40 on the hinge leaf42 secured on the prop by suitable fasteners as at 44. There is anadditional hinge leaf 46 secured at 48 to the lower end portion 50 ofthe second panel or prop 30, said hinge leaf 46 having a single tubularportion or knuckle 52 provided with a fixed rod or pin 54 whoseprojecting ends 56 serve in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

With further reference now to the channel-shaped base unit, the bottomwall 8 is provided with side walls, more particularly longitudinalflanges 57 which are secured to the edges of the bottom plate and risevertically therefrom in parallel relationship and are commensurate inlength with the overall channel. The forward ends are suitably beveledor inclined forwardly and downwardly as denoted at 58. The rearward ends'60 are flush with the end 10. At points slightly inward form therearward ends a pair of oppositely aligned keeper notches 62 areprovided. The median portions of the side walls or flanges are providedwith forwardly and upwardly opening diagonally inclined notches 64 and66 which are properly oriented and paired and which constitute keeperseats for the keepers or retainers 56 carried by the lower end portionof the prop 30. With this construction and arrangement it will beobvious that the keepers can be selectively seated in the keeper seats64 and 66 to change the degree of inclination and to permit the user toadapt this inclination to the stance of the particular runner who iscalled upon to use it.

It will be evident that a block of the construction shown and describedcan be set up quickly on the track due to the construction and foldablecapabilities of the component parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When usedindoors the channel-shaped base can be adhesively bonded or otherwisemounted (not shown). On the other hand when used outdoors it is easilyanchored in the ground. To accomplish this headed anchoring pins orstakes are provided. Each pin is pointed as at 68 and the pins below thebottom side of the bottom wall are secured in place by the head 70 andcoacting positioning and retaining as Well as reinforcing shoulders 72.

It will be evident from the views of the drawing not only how thecomponent parts are constructed, assembled and set up for use, but themanner of rearranging the same for folding and storage is also thoughtto be evident. This is to say, while the views do not show the twopanels 22 and 30 in folded relationship it will be obvious that bylowering the panels as is permitted by the connecting hinges, bothpanels will then be in substantially coplanar relationship and confinedin the channel between the side walls with the ends of the rod ordetents 56 then seated in the keeper notches 62.

A careful consideration of the specification in conjunction wit-h theviews of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear andcomprehensive understanding of the character of the component parts andhow they are constructed, assembled and satisfactorily put to use.Accordingly, a more extended explanation is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modibe resorted to, fallingwithing the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A track runners starting block comprising an elongated basechannel-shaped in cross-section and embodying a flat bottom wall havinglongitudinal edges provided with opposed upstanding side walls havingreadily accessible selectively usable keeper seats, a panel having anend thereof hingedly mounted on a forward end of said bottom wall andmanually liftable to assume an upwardly and rearwardly inclined runnersfoot steadying and retaining ready-to-go position and capable of beingfolded down to assume a fiatwise out-of-use position, a prop hingedlyjoined to said panel and adapted, when in use, to assume a rearwardlydownwardly inclined panel-propping attitude and when not in use beingadapted to fold flatwise, in conjunction with said panel in the channelbetween said side walls, said prop having keeper pins capable of beingplaced, seated and retentively held in selected ones of said keeperseats, the rearward end portions of said side walls being provided witha pair of vertically positioned oppositely disposed open-top notches,said notches constituting receiving and retaining seats for theaforementioned keeper pins when said panel and prop are disposed in saidflat folded out-of-use position in the channel portion of said base.

2. A starting block for use at the starting line of a foot race trackcomprising: an elongated flat bottom wall having longitudinal edgesprovided with upstanding spaced parallel side walls, said side walls inconjunction with said bottom wall providing an open-ended channel unit,the respective median portions of the side walls being provided withpaired upwardly and forwardly angled notches opening through the upperedges of said side walls and providing selectively usable keeper seats,the rearward end portions of the side walls having a pair of oppositelydisposed vertical open top keeper notches, a first panel having aforward end hingedly joined to a corresponding forward end of the bottomwall, a second panel like said first panel and located in the channelbetween the median portions of said side walls, hinge means interposedbetween and interconnecting corresponding upper ends of said panels, theforwardly usable surface of said first panel being covered with ananti-skid pad, the lower rearward end of the second panel being providedwith a fixed horizontal rod having end portions projecting beyondvertical edge portions of said second panel and constituting keeper pinscapable of being placed and seated retentively and held in selected onesof said keeper seats and also seated and held in said open top keepernotches.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein both panels are ofapproximately the same width and same length and same cross-sectionalthickness, the length and width dimensions of said panels permitting thesame to be straightened out in coplanar relationship and stored in afolded out-of-the-Way position within the confines of the channelbetween said side walls when the device is not being used, and saidbottom wall being centrally provided with attachable and detachabledepending pointed stakes capable of being anchored, when desired, in theground.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,990,497 2/1935 Niday 272-592,144,962 1/ 1939 Bresnahan 27259 2,147,347 2/1939 Jury 248-456 FOREIGNPATENTS 363,612 5/ 1906 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

